The OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct and related sector guidelines help companies understand and implement due diligence recommendations from the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct. They also seek to promote a common understanding among governments and stakeholders regarding risk-based due diligence in relation to responsible business conduct.
For this purpose, the OECD Guidance for Due Diligence in Responsible Business Conduct outlines the following measures:
- Embed responsible business conduct into the enterprise’s policies and management systems,
- Identifying and assessing actual and potential adverse impacts associated with the company’s business, products, or services,
- Ceasing, preventing, and mitigating adverse impacts,
- Tracking implementation and results,
- Communicating how impacts are addressed, and
- Providing assistance or cooperating in the remediation of adverse impacts, as needed.
Practical actions for implementing these measures are also suggested.
Not every measure from the guidance for due diligence is suitable for every situation.
To promote effective adherence to the Guidelines, the OECD has developed sector-specific guidance to assist companies in identifying and addressing risks to people, the environment, and society associated with their business, products, or services in the Financial, Extractive, Garment & Footwear, and Agriculture Sector.
